Songs for a song Eircom offers low-cost music downloads
International music sensation Imelda May at the announcement of Eircom's new MusicHub at the Heuston South Quarter in Dublin yesterday
FOR music fans, the cost of songs bought on the internet has been a source of constant frustration.
However, a new pricing system has been unveiled under which fans can buy individual tracks for as little as 32c each.
Typically, singles downloaded from Apple's iTunes store cost about €1.29 each.
In the current top 10, just one song is priced at the lower cost of 99c.
Yesterday Eircom stepped into the fiercely competitive world of internet music sales with a series of new offers in which consumers can buy songs for between 32c and 79c.
This will present significant competition for Apple, which boasts vast sales of both singles and albums from its trademark site.
Eircom announced that its 500,000 broadband customers will be able to buy packages of 15 tracks for €5.99 a month -- 40c a song -- as long as they sign up for a three-month contract.
Forty tracks will cost €12.99 -- 32c a song -- if a six-month contract is signed.
Non-Eircom customers will get 15 tracks for €11.99 a month (79c each), and 40 tracks for €22.99 (57c each).
The same subscription periods apply.
All the packages include a music streaming service, whereby people can listen to -- but not download from -- a library of 4.5 million songs.
The company said it is the first internet service provider to offer this service in Ireland.
Shane Hickey
Irish Independent
